


Temple Of The Jaguar

by RogueTiger



Series: The Wolves of Purgatory [3]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alpha!Nicole, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, F/F, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega!Waverly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2020-10-24 16:44:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20709278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueTiger/pseuds/RogueTiger
Summary: The third book in the saga.With Christmas drawing near, Nicole continues with her plans to surprise, and hopefully delight, Waverly with a holiday to Brazil so she can see and swim in the ocean for the first time.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AN - For any first-time readers... first, hi... this is part of a pretty hefty body of work that might be best to read the others first or just read the notes at the start so you will have an idea of how the world works. I will try to keep this so it can be read alone but by now they have had a lot of things happen to them and explaining would be like rewriting them.
> 
> Basics though - Most of the people we know in Purgatory are werewolves, notable exceptions are Nedley and Chrissy (who are related to Nicole). Nicole is the daughter of Bulshar.
> 
> Wynonna, Doc, Xavier and Nicole are alphas. Waverly is an Omega. Nicole can get Waverly pregnant (and has, 2 sets of twin girls) but there is no G!P in this story. Wyn, Doc and Xavier are in a Poly relationship and have 2 daughters. Waverly is part witch (from Michelle's side) and part angel (from Julian). Nicole is the strongest wolf around but she is not the leader, that is Wynonna.
> 
> Clarke, Lexa and many from The 100 are in this as Yiska (shapeshifters) but essentially they are original characters that I gave those names too than they are the ones from the show.
> 
> If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer :)
> 
> Title, summary and tags are likely to change as new things come up. Also, the title... I hate titles but I also find it had to write unless I've got one. The best I could come up with was Snow and Sand which still isn't grabbing me yet so I used a book title generator that suggested Lesbi Together which made me giggle so, until something better comes along...
> 
> One last thing... I am a very sheltered little author and know nothing about Brazil. Pretty sure I am going to offend everyone that lives there or has every visited so I just hope you can forgive me when I do stupid stuff without knowing and add my own things (as in an ancient tomb/site they are fixing to get lost in at one point). That being said, if you are from Brazil and know of any myths or anything you think might be good for them to face...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole and family enjoy some time playing in the snow.

Winter in Purgatory was a magical time. Hellishly long, but magical. Once the snow hit pits deep territory, Nicole felt that it kind of lost some of the charm and sparkle though and that depth was perilously close from what little Nicole could see of the paddock fence posts with their own little caps of snow atop them rising out of the thick blanket of snow that had fallen overnight to lay across the land.

Humming in thought, her mind was already working over what extra tasks would fall upon her department for probably the next six months, probably longer knowing Purgatory. Hopefully, that would be long enough and the snow would be all gone by then but she’d been there several years now and even she wasn’t convinced.

Absentmindedly lifting her mug, Nicole breathed in the comforting scent of hot chocolate and melting marshmallows bobbing upon it that was rising with the steam, before taking a cautious sip.

“You do know that glowering at the snow won’t make it go away any quicker, right?” Waverly chuckled softly as she shuffled across the cold kitchen floor.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t try.” Lifting her arm, Nicole made space for Waverly’s body in its home against hers. Even with the bulk of winter clothing and the extra-extra fluffy bonus blanket draped around Waverly’s slender frame, they fitted together perfectly. Filling Waverly’s cold hands with the heat of her mug before Waverly could do more than fidget at the hem of her sweater in an unspoken threat of icy fingers, Nicole wrapped her up in her arms and rubbed away the chill.

Nicole was no slouch or novice when it came to hot chocolate or with dealing with the needs of Earp’s of all sizes and ages. There was more chocolate already made, gently warming on the stove ready for the kids, and with more to spare just in case, Wynonna managed to sniff it out all the way from the Homestead and popped out of the woodwork expecting some of it. There was also a mountain of pancakes keeping warm in the oven. Right then though, she was more than content to share the drink with Waverly via the mug and her lips with sweet, warm, chocolaty kisses until the mug was empty and the only thing she could taste was Waverly.

“You were up early.”

“Hmm, I’m still not used to all the light that stuff reflects,” Nicole admitted with a nod of her chin towards the bright white blanket outside the window. “It woke me up and then I couldn’t get back to sleep.”

“You could have woke me,” Waverly pointed out with a suggestive wiggle of her brows.

“Waves, you were burrowed so far down beneath the blankets I would have needed a map of Narnia, survival gear for a week and a Lara Croft outfit to get to you. Also, I don’t know if anyone’s told you before but, you snort and growl like a hibernating bear when anyone tries to disturb you when it’s cold. Thought I was going to lose an arm.”

“I do not growl— Ohhh,” managing to find a suitable gap between layers, Waverly poked Nicole in the side as her annoyingly gorgeous face broke into a dimple-popping grin and she started giggling at her. She feigned a huff that had Nicole pulling her in closer and nuzzling her warm nose against her neck in search of her mark. All it took was a brush of her lips and a light scrape of teeth and Waverly melted like a snowflake in summer.

The blanket Waverly had been burrowed down in since she had crawled out of bed dropped from her shoulders and pooled to the floor as Nicole turned her with her hands on her waist. She nibbled and sucked at her pulse, and set her teeth into the faint divots of her mark. A low growl as soft as velvet vibrated through Nicole’s chest and out through her mouth in a wash against Waverly’s tenderly trapped flesh and pulled a rising whine out of Waverly.

She bent for her Alpha, her body growing weak and malleable against the tender strength of Nicole’s body even as her fingers grasping and clawed for purchase upon clothing, flesh and hair, demanding everything Nicole was willing to give until a soft thud from the floor above had their lips parting and eyes drifting towards the ceiling.

Groaning softly in frustration, Waverly dropped her head, her forehead landing above Nicole’s heart with a resigned thud. Nicole’s soft laugh fell around her and filled the room with its light, musical joy while the kiss she pressed to the crown of her head was one of shared frustration.

“I think your sister has been teaching them her _impeccable_ sense of timing.”

Giggling, Waverly leaned back in the cradle of Nicole’s arms. Just looking up into Nicole’s face had everything dropping away again, her breathing evening out to a level that had her pulse feeling like warm molasses in her veins. Nicole’s beautiful eyes widened and darkened in response, the soft brown spilling out as her wolf peeked out.

“Your eyes just changed.” Reaching up, she felt the tickle of the shorter hair around Nicole’s against her fingertips as she brushed her thumbs across Nicole’s cheekbones.

“So did yours and they are beautiful. You are beautiful.” Smiling, Nicole pressed kisses to the tip of Waverly’s fingers and the tip of her nose too as she stared at the moon glowing enticingly in Waverly’s hazel eyes. It could come on at any time with her but strong emotions, especially arousal brought it on quicker. She knew that it still worried Waverly even though she was working with Gretta to further understand and control of that new, witch related part of her powers but the one thing that calmed Waverly the most was that her Alpha found nothing but beauty within her eyes. A fact that was evident right then as she settled easily into her embrace with barely a flicker of worry crossing her eyes.

Like a miniature tornado of giggles and pounding feet, Their daughters stormed their way down the stairs on two legs and four with Bernie right in the middle of them as they all stormed their way into the kitchen with noses twitching in anticipation.

“Now then, you all know better than to race down the stairs like that,” Nicole admonished as she gave in to the request on Dom’s face and grasping hands and swung her daughter up into her arms and settled her on her hip.

Waverly stifled a giggle behind a hand as Dom stuck her tongue out at Kat and manipulated Nicole with a doe-eyed look and a hug. Their daughters loved them equally but since Dom had witnessed Nicole almost die, there had been an even deeper connection between them that still had Dom anxious if Nicole was late home from work and fighting against nightmares every time there was a storm.

“Everyone got clean hands for breakfast? That includes you, Bernie. CJ, off the table, girl, you know better than that! Mel, slow down there baby, momma will pass you your drink.”

Waverly couldn’t help but beam with happiness at the domestic chaos as she worked with Nicole to get the kids settled enough to enjoy their pancakes and sippy cups of hot chocolate… with a side order of a marshmallow when they were done. They were hyper that morning with the glistening snow outside calling to them but even so young, they knew better than to misbehave.

“I’m glad you’ve got the day off,” Waverly whispered against the warmth of Nicole’s neck as they watched the last of the mallows been devoured with happy sounds of pleasure all round.

“Me too,” Nicole smiled. “It’s not their first snow but it is the first where they can all change and I would hate to miss that. Though, with what got dumped on us overnight we could lose them if they go out in that.”

“No we won’t silly,” Waverly chuckled, “it’s just drifted up around the fence line.”

“Nope, not convinced. How about you take a walk out in it and prove it to me?”

“Or I could drag you out and knock you into the nearest snowdrift.”

“Hmmm, I would say ‘you wouldn’t dare’, but I know darn well you would.”

“See, so smart.” Grinning, Waverly booped her on the tip of her nose.

The talk of snow had obviously made it to small ears if the pleading looks and soft whines were anything to go by. And, with fond eye rolls at their manipulation tactics, they worked together, stripping their babies out of their PJ’s in the warmth of the living room and making sure there was a supply of towels ready to burrito them up in once they’d had their fill of the cold or, more likely, until they were dragged inside before they became tiny frozen wolf statues.

The house filled with excited whines and the clatter of nails as the girls barrelled their way into the kitchen to crowd the door but they stepped back, suitably chastised by a gentle admonishment from her as Waverly opened the door and allowed the cold air inside.

“Ugh, wish I’d thought to put my Yiska clothing on this morning,” Nicole grumbled as she wiggled her way out of her sweater and skinny jeans. The cold wouldn’t be able to make it through her fur once she changed but changing inside into either form took up too much room so she had to suck it up and step out into the snow that had drifted on the porch with her naked ass and everything else showing.

Waverly bit her lip, the cold air blowing across suddenly flushed skin not enough to cool her ardour as her eyes fixated upon the pale globes of Nicole’s ass. Her fingers and teeth itched with the almost overwhelming urge to grab on and dig in and pull better noises from her mouth than the sudden clack and chatter that was coming from white teeth.

“See something you like, babygirl?”

Waverly blushed and glanced away for a moment at being caught out until she remembered that what was on display was hers to ogle and she turned back with an impish grin to drink in her fill. “Yep! Now, will you hurry up and make some room for mama!”

Nicole’s body cut a graceful arc through the cold air as small billows of steam rose up like a mist from her body and then her rich red fur as she leapt off the porch in one form and landed in a drift of powdery snow in another. The snow billowed up in a puff before settling like powdered sugar upon her.

“You goofball!” Waverly laughed as Nicole looked back at them all with her tongue lolling out of her mouth. “Ahah, wait a minute Dom. You know better,” she ordered softly, stilling her overeager daughter. It wasn’t easy to keep them still but they needed to learn to let them check that everything was clear first. “You see what mama’s doing?” she nodded to where Nicole was scenting the air and the ground her body poised, her furred ears twitching as she soaked everything in. “Mama’s keeping us safe. I’m going to go help her now and when we say, then you can go play all you want. But not until we say so, okay?”

Getting a round of nods and full-body wiggles that rock the kitchen table, Waverly steps back and puts on a brave face as she shucked out of her clothing. All plans of a dignified exit to inspire the girls flew out the window with the first brush of frigid air across her nipples and instead of a dignified exit, Waverly squealed and raced for the door. She barely managed to hold off her change to get through the door and landed on a wide-eyed Nicole, barrelling them both into the snow in an undignified heap.

** _“Smooth, Earp. Real Smooth.”_ **

**_“No idea what you’re talking about,” _**regaining her feet, Waverly shook off the clumps of snow from her fur right into Nicole’s face and pranced away to hold herself poised and dignified while she checked for danger.

The snow on the ground and in the air was like a fuzzy blanket in more than looks as it dampened down the rich layers of scents beneath it. Her nose was more than a match for it though. She peeled it all back, layer-by-layer to get at the scent of small woodland creatures and a lone fox that had wandered near the barn as well as the sharper scents of the trees as well as the earthy, warm scent of their horses waiting patiently for their breakfast and their time in the snow.

Opening her eyes again, she blushed beneath her fur to see Nicole’s eyes fixed upon her so loving and attentive. She was always that way, checking for her opinion instead of barrelling along with Alpha bravado. Waverly knew that the Earp pack under Wynonna’s care was far better than many with how it treated everyone that ran with them. But even Wynonna had struggled at times to let go of an attitude that was part Alpha and part big sister, that had her dismissing her opinions. Nicole was never that way though, she was always willing to ask and give way when she knew hers was not the best way.

And right then, while Nicole had the greater strength and range of senses that could stretch for miles, she wasn’t as good at the more delicate, subtle scents and the snow was muting everything.

** _“Everything good?”_ **

** _“Yep. Time to release the baby Kraken’s!”_ **

**_“Waves!”_** rolling her eyes fondly, Nicole turned to the house and called for their girls. They barely even waited long enough for that before they raced out of the house in a rolling tide of red coats, excited yips and gangly legs that slipped and skidded against the frozen ground beneath the snow. Bernie followed with just as much enthusiasm as the girls while CJ watched with typical feline disdain from where she was curled up in the window over the sink. Nicole couldn’t blame her, snow compacted into fur was the worst but that didn’t stop her from falling readily to the rolling wave of joy as the girls all pounced on her in a flurry of wiggles and licks orchestrated by Waverly.

Waverly was sure that if given half a chance the girls would have romped and played the day away in the snow but, they kept a careful eye on them and called a halt before their coats became sodden or anyone even got to the point of shivering. With Nicole herding them inside, Waverly went first and held open fluffy towels for them to cuddle down in when they changed as they weren’t as skilled at shaking off the snow as she and Nicole were. And even if they were, that wouldn’t help against the cold. The only cure for that was a mountain of cushions in front of the fire, a freshly baked cookie and cartoons on the TV.

As they munched and chatted their way through the latest season of She-Ra with wide, eager eyes and cookie crumbs spilling everywhere, much to Bernie’s delight, Waverly snuggled down into the warmth of Nicole’s side and the blanket tucked around her legs were they were drawn up beside her on the couch. Nicole’s fingers trailed up and down her arm in a light touch that was soothing and stirring at the same time. Tilting her head, she caught the slight uptilt of Nicole’s lips that said she knew just what she was doing to her. Turning into her, Waverly snuggled closer and used the cover of the blanket to trace patterns upon Nicole’s thigh.

“So, when are you going to cave and tell me what the surprise if you’re still hiding?” She timed the question perfectly, making Nicole splutter into her drink.

“Waverly Earp,” Nicole coughed. “Are you telling me that a family holiday isn’t enough of a surprise?” she asked with feigned shock.

“Oh, don’t give me that. You know you are terrible at keeping secrets from me. The holiday is perfect and I can’t wait. But you, Nicole Rayleigh Haught, are still keeping something from me.” Narrowing her eyes at her, Waverly gave her a look that had Nicole swallowing nervously and squirming in her seat as she held her thoughts carefully in check so that their connection wouldn’t blurt it out. “Hmm. Am I going to like it?”

“Yes… God! I hope so anyway!”

“Any you’re not going to tell me?”

“Nope!” she grinned. “And I’ve held up against Wynonna’s best efforts so don’t get any ideas!”

“Hell, I’m having too much fun watching her try. Can’t believe you’ve managed to keep it from here where we’re going on holiday.”

“One, I do not want her inviting herself or turning up. Two, I don’t want months of Brazillian wax jokes either.”

“Brazil,” grinning happily, Waverly let the very idea wash over her. She had never seen the sea and would have been happy anywhere with Nicole. But Nicole was giving her three weeks in Brazil! How she had managed to get that much time was a miracle and that somehow wasn’t even her main surprise!?

Smiling, Nicole distracted Waverly with a kiss that dragged them both under the moment their lips touched softly in a light caress. Tucking a soft strand of Waverly’s hair behind her ear, she rested her cheek against the crown of her head as she lay it against her chest to listen to her heart beating. She knew that Waverly was just about bursting with a million questions all designed to get her to slip up and reveal what the surprise she was hiding was but at the same time, she was holding back and enjoying the anticipation. And probably more than a little bit enjoying the way it made her squirm when Waverly got that hunters gleam in her eyes at the slightest hint of weakness.

Wynonna on the other hand; she was relentless with her questioning and scheming to the point that Nicole had had to tell Jeremy and Rosita that they were absolutely _not_ allowed under any circumstances or threats from the Alpha, to give Wynonna any form of truth serum or she would throw them down the nearest dry well and board it up! It was literally driving Wynonna crazy trying to work out where they were going on holiday. If she worked out what Nicole had planned while they were on holiday, she would be a thousand times worse in every way.

“Do you think the Fair will be able to go ahead in all this?”

With a disconcerting amount of effort, Waverly dragged her mind out of the gutter where it had ended up while wondering what sex would be like on a beach and followed the line of Nicole’s gaze to the snow outside.

“One, I can already feel the warmth from the sun, it’ll probably all be melted away before lunch. Two, you keep forgetting that it’s a fair run by Nymphs and all other kinds of Fey that can control the weather. Once we get there it could be a blizzard blowing outside and it wouldn’t touch us.”

“Yeah, would be a hell of a shock when you tried to get home though.”

“Nicole, that was a hypothetical blizzard.”

“Waverly, this is Purgatory. With all the strange that goes on we’re probably overdue a blizzard or two.”

“You know what I think your problem is.”

“What?” Nicole asked cautiously.

“You’re still sulking because you have to dress as an Elf in the parade.”

“No! That’s not! Don’t be silly!” she snorted. “Anyway. Not that it is but… Purgatory hasn’t had a Christmas parade since I got here but I looked into it, Waves. All the other times there was one, it’s been the Sheriff that gets to be Santa but now that Nedley is Mayor, it still goes to him and I… the Sheriff… gets to dress as an Elf!? It’s not even a good Elf costume, Waves. When J.D. got it out of storage, in the morgue no less, there were _mice_ living in the hat! Mice, Waves, mice!” Nicole whined and flopped back over the arm of the couch as Waverly giggled at her from behind her hand. “I’m too tall to be an Elf! I’m going to look ridiculous and I was ready to get my Kringle on!”

“I know that getting elf-cast sucks but Nedley really does make the perfect Santa. Right? He’s got a certain _je ne sais_ jolly that you lack, honey. And you know, the way you wear those pointy ears does more for me than that scratchy beard would.”

“Yeah?” Nicole lifted her head hopefully.

“Mhm.” Crawling up over Nicole’s prone body, Waverly settled herself down across her and teased out the smile on her lips with her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 


	2. Chapter 2

Darkness descended upon Purgatory ridiculously early at that time of year, that was a given. Right then though, it was still early enough that the setting of the sun was still just a promise tinting the sky and yet, Nicole felt sure she would have been driven crazy long before that happened by the sound of sleigh bells ringing and the generic Christmas jingles that seemed to seep through the very walls and wormed into her brain more intensely than _‘Baby Shark’_.

Usually, she could tune things like that out but it seemed that the local shopkeepers and the magical fair were trying to out Christmas each other and there was no escape from it.

Literally.

Where the canned holiday music couldn’t reach, the magical sleigh bells did. Even Wynonna who had been delighting in Nicole’s misery had changed her tune when she realised she was humming _Jingle Bells_, craving canned cranberry sauce, and ducking around corners out of the way of imaginary sleighs.

Her heart lifted, all thoughts of bells jingling, or attached to sleighs faded away as she felt and heard Waverly enter the station with a spring in her step along with the patter of excited pups. Looking up, she saw Deputy Liu beaming as she opened the barrier designed to keep the public and police separated and the kids rushed through without a break in their step while JD opened the door to her office for them and Waverly as she caught up to them.

Rounding her desk, Nicole dropped to her knees and opened her arms to them.

“Pups on a sugar high,” Waverly laughed as she thanked Liu and JD before closing the door behind her to contain the girls in the one area before they managed to rush off again.

“More likely they’re high on the season,” Nicole countered with a chuckle as she nuzzled her nose into the softness of fragrant necks barely reachable beneath all the winter clothes they were wrapped up in.

“Well, they did just see Santa on the way in.” Waverly bit her lip as Nicole let out a quiet grumble. “Looked like he was missing his favourite helper.”

“Due to poor wages and Union rules between the North Pole and Purgatory, elf duty doesn’t start for another hour.”

Waverly looked Nicole up and down. “Well I know a certain elf that needs to get her cute butt in gear and get changed or _this_,” as she spoke, she slowly popped the buttons open on her coat; drawing Nicole’s gaze to the widening gap, “will be the only glimpse she will get of _this_ little number.”

Nicole’s eyes widened, her body and every sense jolting to startling attention as Waverly got to the end of the line of buttons and slowly parted the edges of her coat to reveal the very short and enticing Mrs Clause costume she was wearing beneath it.

Waverly had been nervous the whole way to the station knowing what she was wearing beneath her coat. Which was a little silly really, she knew that as there was little room for modesty being a werewolf when they changed, but it felt different. This was for them. For Nicole. And the heat in her brown eyes as they raked up and down her body, the needy noises that tumbled wild and unbidden from her mouth, it washed away the nerves in the best way possible to see and hear how much her Alpha ached for her.

A pulse of energy shot up her spine as Nicole took advantage of the kids being distracted across the room and crawled across the floor towards her. There was only a couple of feet between them, but the sensual arch and sinuous slide of Nicole’s body, had Waverly panting as though she had been running for miles. Chased and caught in the strength of Nicole’s warm palm and elegant fingers as they cupped the quivering muscle of her calf and inched ever so slightly upwards to where the sensitive flesh at the back of her knee lay just beneath the hemline of the coat.

Waverly whimpered, her fingers grasping for Nicole’s strong shoulders as she nuzzled her face lightly against her abdomen. The heat of her breath and the low, husky rasp of her voice passing through her body like a thick wave of sensual heat that pooled and lapped within her until she felt swollen and ripe with need.

“Is this for me, babygirl?”

Caught within Nicole’s tender touch, drowning within the warmth of her Alpha’s eyes, Waverly nodded dumbly. Her body curved her forward, bending her towards the inviting curve of Nicole’s lips…

Until a clatter from the other side of the door reminded Waverly of where they were before she could literally jump her.

“All yours. But only if you’re a good Alpha and put on the elf costume.”

With a playful roll of her eyes, Nicole surged to her feet, claiming Waverly’s mouth in a lingering kiss on the way. “Fine,” smirking softly at the dazed expression on Waverly’s face, she pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose and grabbed the box containing what she was pretty sure was a cursed elf costume. If not actually cursed, it was resistant to all known cleaning products as she could _still_ smell the mice that had used the hat for a nest.

**********

“Definitely cursed,” Nicole grumbled minutes later as she tried for the tenth time to adjust the ridiculous pointed ears so they didn’t fall off her head when she tried to put the hat on. God only knew who had brought the monstrosity that was the elf costume, but they had obviously hated the person that was supposed to wear it that first time. Unless that person had actually had square legs the size of tree trunks and arms much shorter than her own? In which case, it was tailor-made.

“Jesus! I thought the khakis were a bad fit,” she grumbled as she turned to check them out in the small mirror above the bathroom sink. The pant legs were so wide that even her ass vanished until she looked like an unfortunately oversized lego figure with lopsided ears.

Abandoning the ears which had slipped again, Nicole tugged on the bright red cuffs adorned with golden-yellow buttons that fell short of her wrists by several inches and tried in vain to flatten on of the pieces that were curling up on her shoulder. In the end, all she managed to do was set off a chain reaction of tiny bells that clinked pitifully but still managed to be less annoying than the ones on the tips of the curled toes of the red boots.

“I think you look adorable.”

“Waves!”

Giggling, Waverly locked the door behind herself and plucked the elf hat off the side of the sink. Twirling it between her fingers, she eyed Nicole up and down as her Alpha shuffled around stiffly under her appraisal. “Relax. You look like you’re about to go in front of a firing squad.”

“A firing squad would be preferable to wearing this,” Nicole grumbled.

“Oh hush, you just need to— Bend down a little for me.” Raising up onto her toes, Waverly placed the bright green, felt hat upon Nicole’s head, carefully manoeuvring it into place between the pointed ears. Finally satisfied that it wouldn’t fall off, she ran her hands over Nicole’s tense shoulders. “There. I feel like I should knight you with a candy cane!”

“I feel like an idiot.”

“Well, I think you look adorable and the girls are going to love you.”

“Yeah?”

“Of course… you’re their in with Santa Nedley.”

“You—”

Waverly’s laugh turned into a squeal as Nicole scooped her up in one smooth move and deposited her down on the cold, wet edge of the sink with a knowing smirk. Droplets of icy water slid across the backs of her thighs but with Nicole’s mouth claiming hers and her body pressed between her thighs, Waverly could feel nothing but her as her hips settled into a slow grind that had her clutching at Nicole’s back and shoulders hard enough to make Nicole hiss and growl into her mouth.

Their bodies quivered as they pulled away to create some distance before they couldn’t.

With fingers trembling, Waverly straightened the hat once more. “Now, it’s time for you to go be the best elf you can be or I’ll make you sit on a shelf all night.”

“Oh my god! Have you been waiting all day to make an _elf on a shelf_ comment or did Wynonna put you up to it?”

“Wynonna might have had a hand in it.”

“She’s going to be unbearable, isn’t she?”

“When isn’t she?”

“True,” Nicole sighed.

“Just in case she doesn’t say it, you make a very _Haught_ elf.”

“Waves! That was so bad!” Nicole groaned. “I’ll have to tell Santa to put you on the naughty list.”

“Oh no! Does that mean I’ll be getting a lump of coal in my stocking?” Purring out the words, Waverly ran the tips of her fingers down across the front of Nicole’s lurid green costume to rest at her waist. Nicole’s head tilted at her teasing, her strong hands coming to rest her waist as she moved closer with a glint in her eyes and a mischievous smile on her lips.

“Hmm, I might be open to some bribery to see that doesn’t happen.”

“I’ll keep that in mind for later. For now, though you need to get going before Santa sends out an elf wrangler to catch you.”

“Elf wrangler? Let me guess, Wynonna?”

“He’s got several lined up. Wynonna is head wrangler but it’s our girls you should be worried about.” Proving her point, Waverly unlocked the bathroom door and opened it to reveal their girls lined up waiting with Wynonna.

“Hey there, Haught. Those your ears, or you just happy to see me?”

“Neither.”

“Ouch, Haughty. Ouch.”

“Hey, sweeties! You all ready to see Santa again?”

With her phone busy recording in her hand, Waverly leaned back against the wall and watched, her heart swelling with joy, as Nicole and the girls talked. Despite her feelings on the costume; and yeah, there was no denying that it wasn’t the best elf costume in the world, Nicole gamely let all of that go and was the best elf she could be for the kids.

Their eyes shone with the magic of the season as they gazed up at her and played with the tiny bells on her shoes as Nicole wiggled her toes to make them jingle.

“You okay there, babygirl?” Wynonna gently brushed her thumb across Waverly’s cheek to wipe away the single tear that had finally fallen from her lashes.

“Yeah. It’s silly—”

“I doubt that, Waves.”

“I’m just glad we can give them this,” she nodded to where the girls were playing with Nicole’s ears. “Gus and Curtis, they did what they could when we were growing and what they gave us was better than what we had with pa but, it was still different. More than anything, this time of year always reminded me of what we’d lost. And God knows, Nicole must have had it worse. One thing I’ve found that comes from having a shitty childhood… when you have your own kids, it makes you more determined not to let history repeat itself.”

Wynonna nodded in understanding and wrapped her arm around Waverly’s shoulder. “It sure does.” Leaning closer, she pressed a kiss to her sister’s temple. “Time to get your elf on, Haughtshot. Maybe then the fae will turn the sleigh bells down for us,” she moaned as she swore they got even louder.

**********

The snow was falling again; big fat flakes that twinkled and tickled as they brushed against Waverly’s upturned face as they left the station to find Mama and the others where they were waiting on the street. This snow was different than what they had played in earlier. It was magical. Even if it didn’t seem to come on air that was filled with scents that triggered thoughts of the holidays and wasn’t as cold as it should have been, it also came with a song and a promise of fun and magic to anyone that followed it.

It was the kind of magical compulsion that had been part of stories for many years. Tales of sailors lured onto rocks by sirens… of travellers lured off paths by Will-o'-the-wisp. It was fae magic and potentially dangerous but this magic was safe. Alexandria had assured them that the fae of the fair could but trusted and the only thing they used it for was advertising and maybe encouraging people to be a little braver or foolish to tempt them onto rides or try their hands at the undoubtedly rigged games of chance.

Waverly gently adjusted Mel’s weight in her arms and leaned into the shelter of Nicole’s body. Sliding her hand up, she rubbed her hand along first Nicole’s back and then Jasmin’s where she was perched on Nicole’s shoulders, her delicate voice rising in excitement as she pointed out everything to her mama.

Dom and Kat were standing before them, content to give up the height advantage in favour of spending some time with Cole and Madi while Alice and Michelle looked down enviously from Doc and Xavier’s shoulders.

The snow swirled on a breeze that danced it along the centre of the street. It plucked at clothing, unwinding scarves and pulling hats from heads seemingly at random. But Waverly knew it wasn’t as she didn’t recognise any of the people that gave chase of their weather stolen clothing out into the street and ended up dancing with elegant figures that formed from the flakes of snow.

That was only the start of it and yet, Waverly could think of no better description for everything they were seeing; from the parade of gymnasts and sleighs pulled by magical creatures made from pure magic, ice and snow that had appeared from the sky to carry everyone to the fair… as anything other than… magical.

What made it even more so though was the looks on all the faces of the children. Even the typically sullen teens that attended Purgatory High looked entranced by it all as they all became a part of the parade.

Nedley was at the head of it, resplendent in his Santa costume upon a sleigh pulled by a team of snow-white reindeer with antlers that dripped with icicles that would have made the real Santa green with envy. He blushed and shouted at Wynonna to ‘quit being a wiseass’ as she whooped and hollered at him.

“Kind of glad I didn’t get to put my Kringle on now,” Nicole whispered against Waverly’s ear.

“How did you get out of that?”

“Promised to pull double duty with Santa in the grotto later. He got me cheap, I would have agreed to a triple shift with the teens, and to be on the dunking stool, kissing booth or whatever torture he could think of for the summer fair too so I could see this with you and the kids.”

“Just so you know, if you ever end up doing a kissing booth, I’ll buy all the tickets so that the only lips on you will be mine.”

“And I would get all the ones for the chance to throw things at you and dunk you in water,” Wynonna chortled.

“Wouldn’t doubt it, Earp. If it came to it I would return the favour for you both too.”

“Eww, no offence, Ginger-Pop-Haught, but you kiss my sister’s vah—”

“Wynonna! Don’t you dare finish that sentence!”

Eyes flying wide, Wynonna ducked her head down like a startled turtle under she became one with the voluptuous scarf she had stolen from Waverly. “You kiss my sister,” Wynonna quickly amended under the continued weight of her mama’s glower.

“Well, I couldn’t very well leave you to face all the slobbering masses of a kissing booth. Hmm, what do you think, Wave? Bill Lippencott?”

“Lippencott?”

“He does have a soft spot for Wynonna—”

“Bill Lippencott? You take that back, Haught! Bill is at least three hundred years old and he likes his sheep just a little too much if you catch my drift! You are not allowed to let his lips hypothetical or otherwise near me!”

“Fine. Then if not Bill, whose hypothetical lips should be sacrificed to save you from the non-existent kissing booth?”

“Duh! Jason Mamoa… A army of Jason Mamoas that have been cloned.”

“Okay! Well, next time a stripper bus full of them turns up I’ll be sure to bear that in mind. Has she been in the funny whiskey again?” Nicole whispered as Wynonna wandered away with a happy smile on her face. “Do I need to put a call in to Jason Mamoa’s people to tell them to keep him away?”

“You know his people!?”

“Speaking hypothetically, Earp!”

“Well, stop it! Getting my hopes up like that!”

“How would I know his—!?”

Tugging her down, Waverly quickly derailed Nicole’s thoughts with a kiss before she could end up been dragged down the rabbit hole of Wynonna’s thoughts. She loved their friendship, but sometimes, just sometimes, Nicole needed protecting from Wynonna and the strange, alpha, competitive thing they had going on where Wynonna would suggest or start something outrageous and neither of them would want to be the first to blink and look away or point out just how ridiculous it all was.

The journey the sleighs took them on was wide and meandering, crossing more ground across the magically darkened landscape, and taking in more sights than there truly was between the centre of tiny Purgatory and the fields where the fair was standing.

They passed beneath trees that towered higher than a five-story building, and trunks wide enough to hide a car behind. Branches swayed down like a weeping willow to brush against the sleighs, their movement sent down twinkling particles of ice as fine as motes of dust caught in a beam of sunlight, and the light airy sounds of chimes.

Beyond the trees, they passed by a waterfall where there had definitely not been one before. It should have roared with sound but it was as quiet as a babbling brook. And, despite the hoarfrost and icicles that clung to the rocks like perfectly shaped crystals that refracted out rainbows through the spray of water, there was a warmth that permeated from it even though there was no steam coming from it.

More trees followed, these ones adorned with flowers made of ice as clear as glass that almost distracted from their destination that appeared as their sleighs passed through a shroud of fog.

“This is amazing!” Accepting a ‘hand’ from one of the tall, snow formed figured, Waverly alighted from the sleigh. Everywhere was a magical winter wonderland but without the biting cold. It was beautiful and slightly disorientating at the same time as what she could see went against what she could feel.

“Usually they would just have recreated a summer fair for you,” Alexandria explained as she dismounted her horse having forgone the sleighs for something more familiar and helped Clarke down from her own. “But, that didn’t seem in keeping with the season for them and the fae do like to celebrate,” she gave a small bow of respect in the direction of the fae’s leader.

“It’s beautiful. And so are you both. I didn’t get to say earlier but… Wow!” Reaching out, she ran her fingertips over the butter-soft sleeve of Alexandria’s long jacket. In style, it was similar to what she wore when there was a meeting important enough to warrant it, but, instead of her usual dark palate, it was all a white so pure it almost tipped over into a bright blue. It should have washed her out but instead, it made the colour of her hair and perpetually tanned skin stand out and picked up the flecks of blue and grey in her light green eyes.

Clarke was dressed similarly but her clothing was interwoven with embellishments of sky blue and gold that picked up the colour of her hair and eyes.

“Waves, I’d better go be a good helper and check on Santa.”

“I’ll bring the kids by soon so they can make sure you’re not slacking.”

“Hey, I want my _reward_ later so I’m going to be the best ever elf.”

Even though she had changed before they had left the station, Waverly could still feel the brush of Nicole’s hands where it had teased beneath the hem of the short Ms Claus costume stirred by the heat in Nicole’s brown eyes.

“Haught, will you stop eye-furr— oh look! Fudge!”

Nicole sniggered as Wynonna darted away at Michelle’s fierce reprimand encompassed in a simple look. The only person Nicole knew that could do that look better and get a similar result, was Waverly. “I’ll see you all in a bit then.” Brushing a flake of snow from Waverly’s hair, Nicole gave her one more lingering kiss before gamely trying to adjust the annoying plastic ears and hat on her head.

**********

Waverly giggled as the looks of awe Santa’s grotto had placed upon the girls for the third visit in a row dropped away to looks of pure joy and squeals as they spotted their mama dressed as herself and rushed toward her as fast as they could.

“Santa’s helper off duty at last?”

“Better ask the man himself?”

Waverly turned to Santa’s ‘throne’ and had to stifle a laugh at the sight of Nedley sitting there looking beyond rumpled and worn with his fake beard dropped onto his chest. With a grunt, he leaned forward and helped Kat to climb up onto his lap. He sat there, rubbing her back while she picked up his discarded beard and put it on herself and told him about all the rides they had been on.

“Really? It was that fast, huh? Sounds scary to me, sweetpea.”

“I’ll go on with you!”

“You will? I’d like that. If it’s okay with your mama’s that is.”

“What are you two plotting?”

“Well, Kat here was telling me about the carousel and I was wondering if it would be okay if she comes on it with me and holds this old man’s hand so I won’t be scared?”

“Hmm?” Waverly pretended to ponder the request. “On a couple of conditions. You, young lady, you promise to do as Uncle Nedley tells you and hold onto his hand the whole time so he doesn’t get scared. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes, mama!”

“Okay. Next conditions… One, join us for a meal this weekend?”

“It would be my honour.”

“And two… officially release your helper so we can go get some cotton candy.”

“Go,” he laughed. “I’ll bring Kat back to you as soon as I’m recovered from all that spinning,” scooping the toddler up, he twirled her around in his arms as she giggled in joy.

**********

With the magic working on the fair it was difficult to remember that it was still early in the day even though it was dark all around them. The normal non-werewolf citizens didn’t seem to have any problems with it all, but as they walked around sampling everything the fair had to offer, Nicole saw several of the pack glancing to the sky with brows pinched and furrowed as they tried to anchor themselves somewhere between reality and illusion.

“Do you think Nedley is regretting asking Kat to hold his hand on the scary rides yet?”

“Not in the least,” Nicole chuckled as she followed Waverly’s gesture and saw him climbing onto a carousel horse with their daughter securely in his arms for what had to be the third time. Not that she could blame Kat for her fascination. Even having seen it happen, it was still strange to watch as the ride started up and the animals seemed to come alive. They stayed in their places, their motions carefully moderated, but the moment the carousel started to turn and the music played, the brightly painted, metal horses tossed their heads as manes and coats became real.

The fair was still crowded but there were pockets of quiet to be found amongst the bright lights of the stalls and rides and the scents that came from fried food, sugary treats and a vast amount of chilli that Curtis had claimed gave him war flashbacks.

Nicole pulled Waverly to a gentle halt in one of those pockets of quiet beneath the lights of the Ferris wheel turning sedately behind them. Kat was busy taking care of Nedley, and the other girls were with Michelle, Gus and Curtis, which meant that there was a moment, just long enough to pull Waverly into the curve of her body with just enough impact as their hips met, to make them gasp into each other’s mouths.

There was an urgency running through Nicole’s veins like molten lava that had her body quivering with the need to stake her claim. A primitive thought that Nicole shied away from as; mates or not, Waverly was no ones to claim but right then it was difficult to convince herself of that when all she could see even as their mouths moved together in a languid pace, was Waverly beneath her and her teeth at her throat.

“I can’t work out if I just really want you in a possessive, tie you up, fully consensual light bondage kind of way or if I’m heading for an early rut. Either way, I am eager to get home so I can see you in that sexy outfit again.”

“Babe, you managed to make that sound sexy and kind of weird at the same time but, I really like where your thoughts are going. And for the record, I’m feeling the same way like I’m tiptoeing the edge of a heat but not quite. Very, please tie me up and fuuu— all the rest too,” she finished on a blush as her nature had her clamming up on the words ‘tie me up… bend me over and fuuuu-dge me’.

**_“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll _fudge_ you good later.”_**

Blushing furiously more so because even her thoughts had broadcast in censored mode, Waverly swatted at Nicole’s shoulders as they shook with her laughter. Waverly tried to hold on to the illusion of being grumpy about the teasing as Nicole gently trapped her arms at her side but it was impossible as she nudged and nibbled along her throat and jaw to her mouth.

“Ugh, have you any idea how annoying it is sometimes that I can’t even think a swear word? Wynonna just lets them fly without a care in the world. Well, as long as Mama isn’t around to tell her off for letting her potty mouth loose in front of the kids.”

“I think it’s adorable.”

“Adorable isn’t adorable when I’m trying to be sexy,” she pouted.

“Oh, darlin’ you don’t need to curse to be sexy. Also, it makes it even more of impact when you’re at that point where you can’t hold them back any longer and you scream and beg for me to fuck you.” She shuddered against Waverly’s body at the memories it evoked of Waverly doing just that.

“Yeah?” Digging her fingers into Nicole’s back with a slow drag, she pulled another shudder from the long lines of her body.

“Oh yeah!”

Nicole’s eyes were already dark pools in the magically created night-time that was blanketing the fair, but Waverly saw them grow darker still as the whites were taken over by the stirring of her wolf. And then there was nothing but them as their mouths clashed together as they took full advantage of the quiet spot they had found.

**********

Leaving the fair was almost as surreal an experience as going there had been. There was no return trip via sleighs pulled by impossible creatures or towering trees plucked out of a fairy-tale land where giants existed; they simply stepped out and found themselves in the field on the outskirts of Purgatory with the wan sun still valiantly holding on to the remains of the day. All that showed of the fair was a ticket booth manned by one of the tall snow figures, and an ornate archway to mark the entrance while it was there.

“That was amazeballs! I hope we can come again before they move on.”

“They came in to talk to Santa and Alexandria earlier. They want to stay on a week so I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

“Really?” Waverly rocked up and down on her toes eagerly at the thought.

A small door at the back of the ticket booth clicked open and one of the fae stepped out, her eyes wide and fixed in Alexandria and Clarke’s direction.

While the figures they had created with their magic to represent them were tall and willowy, the fae themselves were mostly smaller and more delicate as they moved amongst the crowds directing the magic from their vantage point amongst the children they most closely resembled. The tallest Waverly had seen was their leader; Ramsinia, who stood just shy of five-foot-tall but most of them were closer to four-foot. While their height allowed them to appear childlike, they were was no mistaking them when they dropped the illusions that kept them safe and revealed the glowing, ethereal nature of their skin and wings that were gossamer thin they seemed to vanish in and out of existence.

“Clarke!?”

“around?! It is good to see you, my friend!” Clarke swept her friend up into her arms and held her a hard as she dared. “I feared we had lost you to the last war!”

“Nearly, but not quite. It took many years to recover,” she sighed against Clarke’s shoulder. “I see it worked out for you and the grumpy bear though,” she chuckled at Alexandria’s fond eye roll.

“It is good to see you again Genelys.”

“Always so formal, Alexandria!”

“Not always. Not anymore,” she smiled fondly, scooping Cole and Dom up into her arms as they crashed sleepily against her legs.

“I see you have been busy again,” Genelys smiled fondly.

“Only for half of this pair. Cole is ours, as is Madi who is with… Wynonna,” she realised as she finally located her daughter perched on the Alpha’s shoulders. “Dom here is Nicole and Waverly’s. They are all family though.”

“Your family, all of them, are adorable.” With a delicate motion of her fingers, she crafted a flower from magic and handed it to Dom who cupped it between her hands and shared its wonder with a barely awake Cole. “Children are such a blessing.” With a wider motion of her hand, she shared more flowers between all the children there. “I hate to leave now that we have only just found each other, but Ramsinia wants to go over details for tomorrows show. Will I see you again?”

“Any time you want, old friend,” Clarke gently assured her.

“Not so much of the old,” she tsked in gentle admonishment. “I haven’t even seen five-thousand years yet.”

“Genelys, before you go. Tell me truly, was there any more to the fair been here now?”

Nicole stiffened at Alexandria’s question, her eyes fixing upon the fae and her every reaction.

“What did Ramsinia say?”

“I am asking you, Genelys, not Ramsinia.”

“I would be lying if I said there weren’t hopes for the future but no, this is simply a celebration. One of the things that were kept hidden by my people for many years, even from ourselves, was the damage wrought on our kind by Kukulkan. Everywhere he touched, he killed us, leaving none behind to warn others. There are not many of us left and we know you did not do it for us but we wanted to thank you even in this small way for saving us.”

Nicole stepped closer. “You’re right, Genelys, we didn’t do it for the fae. We didn’t kill Kukulkan for any one group but for everyone he’d killed and would kill if he’d been left unchecked. We also didn’t do it for the thanks—”

“You have it none-the-less.”

“I would rather celebrate a new friendship with you all than have thanks.”

“A celebration with us? I will put it to Ramsinia right away!”

“Wait! I didn’t mean—”

“Too late, my friend,” Alexandria patted Nicole on the shoulder as Genelys vanished with a twinkle of magic that left an afterimage of her bright smile behind. “The fae _love_ a good celebration. Don’t worry, I will have a word with Ramsinia and try to contain their enthusiasm but by Genelys’ response it might just be best to expect a party.”

“They’re— They’re safe though, right? I don’t want to judge them based on rumours, lord knows wolves had that happen enough but, I could feel their magic, Alexandria. And the way you asked for the truth—”

“They can be tricky and it is always best to know just what to ask if you want an honest answer, but— they are good people. They like their illusions and entertaining which is why they enjoy this life they have created instead of using it in business.”

“Okay. I’m glad about that,” Nicole smiled. “I like them but I needed to check. I think it was throwing me off not being able to trust my senses fully in there.” Because of that, she had been following Alexandria and Clarke’s comfort there as touchstones instead of following her instincts to get to where she knew everything was normal… or as normal as it could be in Purgatory so she could trust what her senses were telling her.

“I’m glad those stupid sleigh bells finally stopped!”

Frowning, Waverly cocked her head. Nope, sleigh bells were still jingling just as merrily as they had all day. “Wynonna, why are you shouting? Wynonna?” She was also ignoring her.

“Forgive her,” Doc sighed. “Wynonna stuffed cotton in her ears earlier and I do believe she has forgotten that small detail.”

“I was going to offer to buy doughnuts from her favourite shop but if she can’t hear—”

“Ya know! I could really do with some maple-glazed doughnuts right about now!”

Rolling her eyes in Waverly’s direction, Nicole pretended not to hear Wynonna. “She obviously hasn’t heard about the cannabis maple cream ones yet.”

“They do what now? Haught!? Nicole! Buddy! Get back here!”

**********

Nicole finally relented and brought Wynonna, and the others, doughnuts when they got back into town and Wynonna finally admitted that she had been pretending not to be able to hear Doc and Xavier for a couple of hours. She thought Wynonna was going to burst into tears or throw a fit on the floor when she found out there was no such thing as cannabis maple cream ones. Going by the glint in Harry’s eyes though, Nicole was betting there soon would be.

And if any made their way into the break room of the station, Nicole swore she would string Harry and Wynonna up by their tails!

“So, Haughtsauce, when are you going to let me in on what this big secret is you’re trying to keep from Waverly?”

“No idea what you’re on about, Earp.”

“Bull! I could help you know,” Wynonna wheedled, nudging her shoulder against Nicole’s. “I know it’s more than a holiday but if you let me know where it is could help you plan and steer her away from the truth while you—?” She gestured wildly with her hands, encouraging Nicole to finish the sentence.

“Hmm,” Nicole pretended to ponder Wynonna’s offer. Waiting as the anticipation of a win built in her eyes. “Naw. It’s all good, Earp. I got this.”

“Why you dirty! Rotten! Son of—!”

“Wynonna!”

“Sorry, Mama!”

Michelle rolled her eyes fondly as Wynonna made ‘I’m watching you’ gestures at Nicole and stalked away to sulk with another doughnut. She raised her own in a salute as Waverly met her eye and mouthed a ‘thank you’ her way. As comfortable as she was with her life there in Purgatory being back amongst her family and friends, it was still sometimes strange to think that her beautiful girls and all grown up and found families of their own.

Everything that had happened had been out of her control but sometimes she wondered if they didn’t hate her for abandoning them simply because she felt like she had and questioned if she couldn’t have done more to get back to them or if she could have done more to protect them from Ward in the first place?

As it always did when she thought of her husband, her thoughts turned to happier times to counteract the bad. The times with Julian that had helped her to keep going when all she had wanted to give in to the pain of the wounds he inflicted upon her body and soul.

Her sweet angel with the gentle touch, and kind eyes.

The angel now lost to her.

Michelle blinked aside the tears filling her eyes and causing the streetlights to streak and refract across her vision as they turned on up and down the main street. Just for a moment, she thought she saw a figure bathed in light watching them from across the street. The shape and feel of them was so familiar her heart raced, pounding against her ribs.

But, as her vision cleared, there was nothing to see.

“Are you okay?”

Michelle startled a little at the light touch of Nicole’s hand upon her shoulder but relaxed almost instantly as she caught the gentle scent of her that she had come to associate with her family.

“I’m fine dear. Just poor eyesight and ghosts of the past.”

“Literal ghosts?” Nicole glanced across the street cautiously.

“No dear. At least I hope not.” She slipped her hand into the crook of Nicole’s elbow and slowed her to her pace as the others walked ahead. “I take it that Waverly is still in the dark about— you know?”

“So far,” Nicole chuckled softly. “I think she’s enjoying the not knowing for once.”

“She was always a curious child. Always poking at books and words to see how they fit together and worked.”

“She’s still like that. Thank you for keeping the secret with me though. And for agreeing along with Gus and Curtis.”

“Not that we would want to say no. You’re already family to us all… And like we could stand in Waverly’s way, anyway.”

“True. Thank you anyway though,” she pressed a quick kiss to Michelle’s cheek. “It just wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t have your blessing.”

**********

As Michelle lengthened her stride to catch up with the others, Nicole slowed further under the pretence of checking her pockets. Breathing in deeply, she drew in all the scents around her. In the distance, she could smell the fae fair in a tang of cotton candy and magic snow but it was the street around her she focussed in on.

She could make out individual scents of the people that had walked there and peeled them apart, searching through the layers for anything out of place until she found what Michelle had seen but thought she hadn’t.

Waverly appeared before her, her hazel eyes flickering into life with the moon as she tracked the thoughts in her mind and turned her head as Nicole did. Their eyes followed the afterimages of scents that crossed back and forth across the street in the wake of the people that had left them to the singular bright light of a scent that started and ended in only one place to form the shape of a man with outstretched feathery wings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN - I do solemnly swear that the fae in this aren't up to no good... really I just wanted to write them at a fair and it had to be a magical fair.
> 
> AN2 - A fair was originally where I was going to have Waverly or Nicole propose in Full Moon but it didn't feel right for that story.
> 
> AN3 - In the original idea for the fair, there was a brief idea to have one at Halloween where all the spooky rides would come alive and the cats in tuxedos that Nicole mentioned in the should would make an appearance,
> 
> AN4 - I am really tired and probably left far too many mistakes in, I will try to put them right soon but knowing me, mistakes will manage to remain :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN - As a reminder, any speaking marked in bold, italic, is done silently between Nicole and Waverly through their connection as mates (a way of speaking I created so I didn't have to do much studying and describing the body language of wolves or have them talking in the four-pawed wolf forms).

Waverly shifted in the seat, her eyes leaving the snow-covered landscape passing beyond the protective glass of the car window to take in the warm and familiar landscape that was Nicole’s body as her Alpha drove. Even when the road was slick with ice and snow as it was then, there was always such a surety and calmness when Nicole was behind the wheel that she couldn’t help but respond to.

Relaxing further into the seat and motion of the vehicle, Waverly thrilled to the subtle signs of strength and control. Nicole’s hands gripped the wheel, the muscles of her arms and legs flexing noticeably beneath the cover of her clothing as she shifted gears and worked the pedals to prevent the vehicle from sliding on an icy patch.

Nicole was always such a safe driver even on the rare occasions when she pushed the speed limit outside of her role as Sheriff. A trait Waverly was convinced Nicole had managed to pass down to their children through her genes given their intense dislike of her own, admittedly, heavy on the gas pedal approach to driving.

Reaching out, Waverly ran her thumb across the line of Nicole’s jaw, her touch tracing the edge of a soft smile that curved the fullness of her lips and dipping into the crescent of a popped dimple. She could feel her gentle humour warming her from the inside through their bond.

“Young love is amazing. Just, don’t forget about the old lady in the back having to witness it, or the fact that we’re on one of Purgatory’s worst, piss poor, sorry excuses for a road in the depths of winter, hmm?” Leaning between the seats, Michelle gave her daughter and Nicole a teasing, motherly, look that had them both blushing and stuttering slightly.

“Sorry, Mama.” Glancing up from under her lashes, Waverly shared a look with Nicole. Neither of them had had anything close to the kind of childhood to experience parental rebuke even though Gus and Curtis had tried their best with her and Wynonna. Waverly found she didn’t mind it so much though, and neither did Nicole going by the growing twinkle in her eyes.

“You really are as fun to tease as Wynonna said,” Michelle chuckled richly. “But really though, for the sake of my poor old heart, keep an eye on the road and both hands on the wheel.”

“There is nothing old about you, Michelle, least of all your heart.”

“Smooth-talking Alpha,” Michelle blustered under the weight of the earnest look Nicole gave her through the rear-view mirror and turned her eyes away to look through the window at the thick blanket of fog hanging over the snow-covered landscape. Thanks to the hard hand of a weak Alpha, the softness and care she found herself surrounded by within the pack still had the ability to leave her feeling wrong-footed but in a very good way. In a way that she had only felt once before with…

“Do you really think it was him?”

Her voice was small and questioning within the confines of the vehicle. Barely even loud enough to be heard above the quiet throb of the engine or the air-conditioner that was working overtime to beat back the cold. She was heard though, she knew she was by the way Waverly looked to Nicole on her way to turning in her seat to look at her.

“We’re not sure, Mama,” Waverly sighed regretfully. Ever since Christmas, the ‘mysterious’ angel had been flitting in and out of their lives and Purgatory. Always close but never close enough to see them clearly let alone talk to them.

They knew though, in their hearts, they _knew_ that it was Julian.

What they didn’t know, was what he was doing there.

They had tried asking Kevin. Or, at least, Nicole had tried asking. For all her quiet strength and softness, apparently, she was the most effective at giving threats that had made the angel pop their feathered butt into existence even if it was just to tell them that they didn’t know anything.

Through the hazy morning fog, the glass and metal edifice of the Gibson greenhouse loomed into view through the windscreen. Under the duel care and attention of the gnomes and Curtis, but mostly the gnomes and their powers, the building and the land it sat upon had finally come alive again after years of neglect and poisonous magic.

As Nicole steered the vehicle closer, the shroud of fog fell away to reveal the colour and majesty of the building that shone like a jewel even in the dead of winter.

“I— Wow,” Michelle breathed out in wonder, her eyes wide as she struggled to take it all in. “I haven’t been back up here since Trickett and Monique were freed. I— I had no idea.”

Windows and paintwork once dull and dirty with years of grime shone fresher than a newly minted penny, creating a perfect frame for the plants growing and blooming inside. It was remarkable but it was more than the plants or the building… The land beckoned them forth with a feeling of home and comfort that had been lost for many years.

“Trickett!”

Nicole pumped the brakes and huffed out a breath of exasperation as Michelle’s cry of delight was followed by her leaping from the SUV to greet her old friend before she’d even pulled up. “Now I see where you got your impulsive nature from.”

“Hey!” Waverly slapped at Nicole’s arm in admonishment. “I am not impulsive,” she pouted at Nicole’s wickedly gorgeous smirk.

“You’re not? You mean that was a different Omega that scent marked me the first night? That wanted to know if there were conjugal visits when she thought I had been arrested? Stalked me around Purgatory and camped out on my roof after spying on me masturbating?” A smile tugging at her lips at the look on Waverly’s face.

“One of us had to make the first move else _I_ would still be waiting on _you_,” Waverly huffed from beneath the cover of her scarf.

“I’m glad you did, Waves.” Leaning across the gap in the seats and the barrier of Waverly’s sternly folded arms that only made her look even more adorable than ever, Nicole hooked a finger beneath her chin. With the slightest amount of pressure, she drew Waverly out from the nest created by the extra-long scarf wrapped several times around her neck to reveal the beautiful smile waiting for her to trace and claim with her lips.

Their mouths lingered and clung together, the air between them becoming hot and electric with barely contained desire before they managed to summon the strength and will to part before they traumatised Trickett and Mama who they could see staring at them through the slightly fogged up windows.

“Erm—”

“Yeah,” Waverly chuckled in agreement at Nicole’s smirk. “Guess we better get out there and see if there are any answers here. Do you think there are?”

“Answers? Hmm, from the dealings we’ve had with them, I would say we need to ask the right questions.”

Waverly gently stroked the line of Nicole’s jaw, easing the tension out of her caused by their past dealings with the angels and the deaths caused by their inaction, that had her jaw clenched and her voice sharpening with each word that made it past the cage of her gritted teeth. Nicole’s shoulders relaxed with a huffed sigh and she gave her a grateful smile above her hand as she pressed a scattering of kisses to her fingers, palm and one that lingered upon the pulse beating a steady rhythm at her wrist.

“Let’s get this over with. And remember, no asking about the location or fate of Bun Bun. I can never tell with Trickett if it makes him happy or angry when it gets brought up,” Nicole commented as she peered at the hulking figure of the gnome towering over Michelle.

“How can you not tell, Nicole? He laughs every time.”

“You call it a laugh? I say it sounds like an avalanche and a garbage truck making love in an industrial-sized waste disposal.”

Rolling her eyes, Waverly climbed out of the SUV as Nicole pushed open her own door. Not even the cold seeping up through her boots to nip at her knees with frigid jaws could dampen her smile as Trickett smiled wildly through the rugged thickness of his beard and called out her name in a booming voice as loud as thunder. He stomped towards her with thick arms open wide in welcome and swept her up off the ground with a laugh, leaving her feet dangling in the air as he crushed her to the barrel of his chest. Peering around his body, she stuck her tongue out at Nicole who simply rolled her eyes at their antics.

“Is Monique here?”

“Hibernatin’,” Trickett rumbled fondly, a smile curving his mouth as he thought of his tiny, formidable wife. “She ‘ates winter. Said not ta wake ‘er ‘til spring or she would have my guts ta make fishin’ line. Best not ta wake ‘er… ever!” he grimaced at the remembered threat and cast iron skillet that had sailed by his head when he’d made the mistake of laughing when he had first heard her threat.

“Sounds like your sister if anyone wakes her before noon.”

“You’re not wrong,” Waverly chuckled. Wynonna had never been fond of mornings and disturbing her cycle came with the risk of a violent response if there was no food to placate her.

“Trickett,” Waverly gave his massive, calloused hand a quick squeeze to gain his attention. “We were wondering if you had seen—”

“’e’s inside,” he interrupted, nodding his head jerkily towards the greenhouse. “Been sittin’ in there since las’ night, he as. Said ta expect ya.”

“He did, huh?” Nicole’s hands itched with the need to shift into her to wolf or to feel the grip of her gun or even the swords Alexandria was training her in the art of using. Anything to ward back the disquiet she was feeling knowing that the angel seemed to know when they were going to turn up and waiting for them.

Waverly looked as cautious as she was feeling but Michelle… There was such hope in eyes and lighting her face as she looked towards the doors that led into the greenhouse she had not visited since they were told by Kevin that Julian was all but gone. In fact, they had assumed that he had been killed for offering his help just as Juan Carlo had.

“I’m gonna go check on Monique. Hibernatin’ takes lots ah food,” he explained. “If ya need me though, jus’ yell out.”

“Thank you, Trickett.” Using the heavy woollen lapels of his coat, Waverly hopped up to give his heavily whiskered cheek a kiss. “I’ll see you in a couple of days, okay?”

“Fer ya go on holiday?” He rubbed his hands together excitedly at the thought of the plants she would get to see. Maybe, if he was real lucky, she would bring him somethin’ back!

“Yes. Don’t forget—”

“If yer sista asks, I know nothin’.” He made a quick zipping motion over his mouth and pretended to throw away a key for good measure even though he had no idea what it was supposed to mean other than it made Waverly happy and that was _always_ a good thing.

“Michelle! Wait up!”

Waverly spun around at Nicole’s raised whisper. Her feet were sure upon the ground despite the thick blanket of slushy snow layered over a deadly layer of black ice, as she hurried after her and the glimpse of her Mama disappearing through the door into the greenhouse.

The heat awaiting her just through the door was like a physical force that slammed into her body with the ferocity of a towel dripping with hot water. After the cold, the sauna-like intensity of it almost made her purr in sheer bliss as she unwound her scarf! The thick strip of knitted fabric nearly slid from suddenly limp fingers as her eyes finally took in everything around her.

It had been several months since she had been in the greenhouse itself. Like her Mama, she found there were too many memories there to be truly comfortable, and Trickett and Monique had been working the land or at the small home they had built on the site of the old homestead built by the Gibson’s so there had been no need to enter the greenhouse.

The bare-bones were still there in the shape of the building. The frame of metal and glass that lent a familiar air like a dreamscape version of the place she had visited as a child. But, a lot had changed within.

Hothouse flowers bloomed in a riot of colours, their waxy heads seeming to follow their movements as tendrils of vines and leaves as big as a plate shone even with health and vigour in the weak glow of the winter sun.

The air of neglect and decay had been banished from within and, like the land, it was finally alive.

Her feet followed a familiar path through a maze of vines and flowers. The same path she had trod as a child until she almost bumped into Nicole’s back as they came to the area where she had played and painted. There was a bench where the stone angel had stood, the pale stone worn and polished smooth with use. And sitting on it, his head bent low, was Julian.

“Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.”

Michelle reached out a hand but stopped long before her fingers could come into contact with his hunched shoulders. Her hand and voice trembled with uncertainty. “Julian?”

Nicole felt her eyes shoot wide as the angel lifted his head to reveal a face that, while still conventionally handsome, looked haggard and worn with age. Where there had been smooth, unblemished skin, there were now deep lines either side of his mouth and crow’s feet radiating from the corners of his eyes. He looked… He looked to be about the same age as Michelle, Nicole realised.

The extra years looked good on him. They gave him character. But, they were unexpected given that the last time they had seen him, he had looked to be in his early thirties.

“You got old.”

“And you got even more beautiful,” Julian smiled back tentatively, hopefully, as he looked up at the woman, the love, he thought he’d lost, and the daughter he had never got to know. He sighed in pleasure, his eyes fluttering shut as Michelle’s warm hands cupped his face in a way he had never thought he would feel again. “I’ve missed you.”

“Then why didn’t you come and say something instead of lurking around like a dumbass?” she challenged him.

“I don’t know if you know this Michelle but the women of your family are quite intimidating,” he chuckled softly as she pursed her lips at him warningly. “I wasn’t sure if there would be any kind of welcome for me, let alone a warm one, after what happened before. And,” his voice dropped to a whisper, “and, I wasn’t convinced that this wasn’t just another form of punishment. Even though it is supposed to be over, the interference, the punishments, I feared that it wasn’t.” He stared into her eyes, his own darting between hers, willing their beauty to stay before him and not fade away. “I thought that maybe if I reached out it would all just be taken away again.”

Hands planted on her hips, Michelle tapped a foot on the ground warningly. “Do you need me to pinch or slap you so you know this is real?”

“I think if this is all a dream or illusion to be snatched away from me, I would prefer this to end with a hug?”

“A hug? I think I can do better than that,” smiling softly, Michelle leaned down and pressed her lips to his. The upwelling of emotions from just that simple, almost innocent touch, had tears springing from her eyes to race down her cheeks that matched the ones that spilt from Julian’s to run down her hands as she clung to him.

When they finally parted, it was to find that Waverly and Nicole had moved away from them further into the greenhouse to give them a little room and at least the illusion of privacy while still been close enough to react if anything happened.

**********

Despite the tropical levels of heat and humidity of the greenhouse, Waverly pulled the edges of her coat closer around her body, wrapping herself up in the layers of thick clothing as she looked through the crystal-clear windows at the expanse of rolling, snowy landscape obscured by blankets of fog.

Even though events had gone in their favour, there were still nights where she was still visited by the ghosts formed by the night they had fought Bunny Loblaw there. But then, as always, even on those dark nights, it was Nicole that chased the fears and ghosts away.

Body shifting, she wrapped strong arms around her, her body creating a protective support and shelter for Waverly to rest in and gain strength. Even through the layers of clothing, she could feel Nicole’s chest expand as she drew in a breath and scented the air. And, through their reflections in the glass, she saw the darkness of Nicole’s eyes expand as her wolf bled out. Only then did she realise that her own had shifted too. However, where Nicole’s were solid pools of warm, earthy browns, her own hazel eyes twinkled with moonlight that was distorted by the glass into a shape that looked vaguely like wings.

**_“Angels on the brain,”_** Waverly muttered mockingly inside her head, a smile playing across her lips as she rolled her eyes at her reflection and looked away from it. She didn’t realise that she was broadcasting so loudly along her connection with Nicole until…

**_“Hmm?”_** Pulling her gaze back from searching the fog, Nicole nuzzled her nose and cheek against Waverly, unconsciously blanketing and soothing her with their vanilla and lavender scent.

**_“Just musing aloud… In… my head.” _**She grimaced.

Years of practice helped Nicole contain her chuckle to where only Waverly could hear it through their bond and not have it escape and cause questions to be asked. The smile she couldn’t contain, she hid against the softness of Waverly’s skin as she pressed her lips against her temple.

** _“Anyone lurking around outside?”_ **

Nicole quickly caught up with the direction of Waverly’s thoughts and turned her gaze back to the landscape beyond the glass. Her body stiffened instinctively, switching into a higher state of alert. Even then, she held Waverly just as close and secure even if her arms might have tightened protectively, just enough for Waverly to notice and respond with a murmur of pleasure and a wiggle that pressed her closer.

**_“Like you’re not perfectly capable of knowing.” _**Dipping her head again, Nicole nipped teasingly at her mark indelibly etched upon Waverly’s flesh.

** _“Yeah, I just like knowing my Alpha is on top of things.”_ **

** _“On top, huh?”_ **

Waverly felt heat rising through her cheeks as Nicole waggled her eyebrows outrageously. If Mama hadn’t been there, she would have turned the table on her easily in an instant. Even though she couldn’t respond too obviously, she wasn’t above flooding Nicole’s mind with just a hint of what would be waiting for her when they got home and it didn’t involve Nicole being the one on top for much of it.

“Waves,” Nicole groaned breathlessly, her head dropping to rest against Waverly’s shoulder as an all too familiar wave of desire and anticipation flooded through her. **_“Always such a bad omega. How did I get so lucky to have you in my life?”_** She purred the question through their connection, backing it up with a kiss to Waverly’s pulse.

**_“Anyway, to answer your question and prove myself as an alpha… I can’t sense anything lurking around. Though, it isn’t always easy to get past Trickett and Monique’s scent,” _**her nose crinkled at the thought of it and the reality, the loamy, earthy, fertilizer scent that lingering as heavy as the fog outside, around the greenhouse and seeped deep into the ground.

It was a scent of their friends but with it always came the memory of the time before than… more specifically, the rancid taste of booze, and the scent of blood and unwashed bikers. A hare-brained ‘adventure’ she still entirely blamed Wynonna for.

**_“You made the mistake of getting drunk with her and going on that ‘adventure’ so don’t put it all on Wynonna. That’s three times now, Nicole. The infused whiskey. Strike one. Your trip to _Pussy Willows_. Strike two. And strike three, an attempted break-in and run-in with the Banditos. And while you’re cute when you’re drunk, you’re not _that_ cute and you also have a knack of getting into worse trouble each time it happens. So, four strikes and you’re out… sleeping in the barn.” _**Spinning in Nicole’s embrace, Waverly kissed the full pout of her lips and the tip of her nose, teasing a smile out of her.

**_“Four strikes, huh? You really don’t do sports, do you?” _**Nicole smiled softly at Waverly’s answering pout.**_ “But, you know what… okay,” _**Nicole shrugged,**_ “that’s fair.” _**More than fair as she had no intention of letting Wynonna near her with any kind of drink in her hand _ever_ again.

To seal the deal, Nicole held out her hand for Waverly to shake. As they did so, they both seemed to feel eyes upon them at the same time and turned their heads to find Michelle and Julian looking at them quizzically.

“Erm, right. That. Almost forgot about that,” Waverly muttered under her breath. Sighing softly, she followed the gentle tug of Nicole’s warm hand and tried not to drag her heels too much as they closed the distance between them and her parents again. Nicole’s hand tightened around hers in a gentle, reassuring hug, a silent offering of strength, support and understanding for the struggles Waverly had over the fact that her father was an actual angel and not the man she had always thought.

Wynonna was supportive, mostly. Sometimes though, Waverly felt as though her sister thought she had it easier somehow now that her father was alive. Maybe she did. Waverly didn’t feel like it though. All her life, her father as far as she had known had been Ward and finding out that he _wasn’t_ biologically her father didn’t change that.

“Everything okay, Mama?” Waverly purposefully didn’t look at the angel. When she did, she only saw the night Nicole had died and she couldn’t shake the memory of that no matter how hard she tried. The pain of it was still there. The nightmares that plagued her and Dom’s dreams were still sharp even with Nicole at her side.

“Yes, dear.”

“Why are you here?” Waverly asked sharply, her jaw clenching and chin jutting forward in challenge to his presence, demanding he give her an answer.

“Waverly!”

“It’s okay, Michelle. Waverly has the right to be cautious. I want. No,” he took a breath. “I gave up my immortality just in the hopes that I might have a chance. I am hoping that you might both allow me the opportunity to get to know you better.”

“You think you can just walk into our lives—”

“That is enough, Waverly!”

“Neither of you have to talk to me ever again if you don’t want to. I would never force anything upon you. I am more than content to roam this world alone, ageing as a human does, knowing you are upon it.”

Grasping his chin, Michelle jerked his face up so she could look at him. “You really gave up your immortality?”

“Yes.”

“For us?”

“Yes,” he smiled softly, letting his love shine from his eyes where he hoped she could see it and understand just how much he was willing to give up just for a chance.

“You are a damn fool.”

“I lost everything the day I thought you had died, Michelle. I gave up and went through the motions because there was no other choice. Unless someone or something interferes with our fate, we’re eternal. Now I’m choosing for me… hopefully for us if you decide you want me again. And if not, I am still happy with this choice.”

“You’ve still been _flapping_ around town causing a stir.”

He smirked as Michelle flapped her arms like a set of wings to emphasise her point. “I was born an angel, It is what I am and that hasn’t changed. I still have all my abilities but now, I just get to age.”

“And they’re okay with this?”

“My response to what they can do would be considered very un-angelic, Nicole. Needless to say, they weren’t happy, but they have sworn not to interfere in your town ever again and they will stick with that… mostly because you truly terrify them. I’m sure that once they realised that in a short amount of time for them I will be gone, that helped them let me do this too.”

Standing up, Julian took a tentative step towards his daughter. She looked up at him, eyes filled with the beauty and power of the moon and heaven itself as was her birthright but it was the cautious hope he clung to as he reached out and gently grasped her hands.

“I know I have a lot to make up for, but I hope that one day you might come to look at me favourably and maybe even think of me as a friend?”

Unwilling to give him the hope he was looking for, Waverly slipped her hands out of his and huddled into Nicole’s side, studiously ignoring the look of disappointment in her Mama’s eyes. She might be all set to forgive and forget but Waverly wasn’t ready to gloss over the fact that if he’d just tried a little harder, acted a little sooner and gotten them out from under Ward’s control, their lives could have been a lot different. Not by a long shot.

**********

Waverly kept the questions of ‘what if’ locked within herself, letting them tear at his soul like dull blades rather than sharing. Nicole felt them just as keenly though as her mate stayed silent on the drive home, her tears falling silently to be reflected in the window she stared blindly out of.

The thoughts remained, lasting through the day until they reached the point that her oblivious sister noticed and Wynonna stormed into her office at the station.

There was a distressed whine at the back of her throat and she was almost pulling her own hair out at the roots as she unknowingly interrupted Nicole’s plans to leave early to try and ease the burdens of Waverly’s mind. She forced her back into her chair so forcefully Nicole that had to fight to keep her balance and not tip right out of it onto her ass as Wynonna loomed over her and ranted without giving Nicole room to get a word in edgeways.

Waverly was _their_ rock.

She was the wind beneath their wings that lifted them up and helped them to soar.

She was the wind at their backs that helped them to run faster.

She was everything good in the world and it just killed Wynonna that she didn’t know what to do.

And, goddamn it! Her sister’s narc mate needed to get her redhaught, ginger ass out of her office and put the smile back on her face!

The expressions awaiting her on the faces of Gus and the girls as she walked in the door, said very clearly that they felt the same way as Wynonna as they huddled around her.

Gently scooping an oblivious Waverly up in her arms, Nicole carried her upstairs and deposited her on the bed while she went to run a bath. The bathroom was soon filled with fragrant steam that wafted up from the tub that Nicole lowered Waverly into. The steamy, almost boiling hot water in Nicole’s opinion, barely seemed to register to Waverly but Nicole felt the first prickle of interest from her as she stripped off her clothes and slipping in behind her.

“What are you doing?” Waverly asked quietly, her voice barely registering above a whisper.

“Taking care of you.”

“Oh?”

“Yep. Now, lay back against me and let me take care of you, baby.”

Waverly followed Nicole’s instruction, sinking back into the curve of Nicole’s body and closed her eyes. The hot water, silken and fragrant with her favourite bath products, lapped against her body, teasing and tickling the undersides of her breasts with every breath she took and every movement of Nicole’s body.

Her body came alive, senses slowly awakening as she honed in what Nicole was doing. The shift of her body as she dipped a cloth in the water. The play of muscle beneath silken skin and the sound of body wash been squeezed out of its container. Goosebumps followed in the wake of the cloth as Nicole worked it diligently over every inch of her body, her soft words and thoughts filling her ears and mind with a million ways in which she was loved and cared for.

How she was desired in every way.

She derailed all thoughts that weren’t of pleasure with the touch of her hands and fingers as they blazed a trail across her body as well as the drag of teeth and wash of her hot breath across her pulse.

“Nicole. Please,” fingers tangling in strands of steam-dampened hair, Waverly tugged her closer, guiding her teeth towards their home at her throat as she tried to hurry and guide her fingers lower. “Need you.”

“I’ve got you, baby. I’m right here. Open up for me.”

Back arching, legs hooking over Nicole’s, Waverly gave herself over to the touch of her bare hand teasing between her thighs until she felt like she might go insane. The gentle, probing glide of fingers sliding into her. Filling her. Pumping and thrusting. Sliding slickly in and out. Stretching her perfectly until she finally soared, clamping down on Nicole’s fingers, holding them captive within her as she cried her pleasure to the heavens.

It felt like hours passed where she lay limply within Nicole’s arms, her body lax and mind finally open instead of locked in a cycle of loathing like an Ouroboros: a snake eating its own tail. As the water started to cool, guilt started to creep in around the edges of her mind again.

“Nicole, do you think I was a little harsh on him?”

“Waves, everything you feel is valid. Never doubt that. I wondered all the time what my life might have been like if my mom had managed to hide in time. Or what could have been if Nedley had found me sooner? Wondering what could have been over Julian and your Mama is perfectly natural and you are well within your right to let him in or cut him out of your life even now he’s back if you want. And no one has the right to pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to. No one.”

Water cascaded down their bodies as Nicole climbed out of the tub and lifted Waverly back into her arms, depositing her on her feet to wrap her up in the thickest towel they owned. Grabbing another off the heated rack, she knelt down at Waverly’s feet and started drying her legs with a gentle reverence that had Waverly moaning and sighing in pleasure.

“I was thinking, if you want, we could take a run later, just us and the kids. Our family. Then we can settle in for the night in a blanket fort that would make Raven green with envy, watch movies, and eat an outrageous amount of snacks.”

“That sounds… that sounds perfect,” Waverly smiled gently in appreciation. She still had a lot to work out in her mind but she knew she wasn’t alone. She had Nicole. She had her family. “Nicole?”

“Yes, baby?” Nicole looked up as Waverly brushed her fingers through her hair in a gentle motion that had her purring and arching into her touch.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, baby. With all my heart and soul.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN - This is a story that, like many, is long overdue an update. It is not the easiest to get back into when it comes to remembering where the story and world was at that point, and the muses refuse to talk to me (in fact, they are refusing to talk to me about anything lately).


	4. Chapter 4

Waverly smiled shyly in apology as she preceded Nicole down the stairs to find her aunt’s eyes upon her. As she looked up from beneath her lashes though, it was to find her aunt’s usually gruff demeanour softened by a concern that faded to a smile of relief and a warm, tight hug that threatened to crack her ribs.

Easing back from their embrace, Gus gently cupped Waverly’s face between calloused palms to better study her eyes. She looked like their Waverly again or at least ninety-five percent their Waverly. “You feeling better now? And I don’t want no gory details either now, you hear!” she warned her now softly blushing niece. “I heard more than enough of that from down here.”

“I’m sorry—”

“If you’re about to apologise for having a perfectly healthy relationship… don’t,” Gus chuckled. “Made me miss the good old days with Curtis before he discovered the ‘joys’ of growing his blessed tomatoes.” She chuckled as Waverly gave her the kind of look she was more used to seeing on Wynonna’s face. “Seriously though,” sobering up, she gave Waverly another hard, appraising look, “are you okay? You had me worried… your babies too. Don’t go getting stuck in your head,” she warned softly as Waverly’s expression fell dangerously close to despair.

“I hate upsetting them,” Waverly sighed sadly. Turning, the familiar warmth of against her cheeks falling away as she did so, she found her girls sprawled upon the floor playing with Nicole. Their heads were huddled with their heads close together, their red hair shining in the beams of fading sunlight pouring in through the windows as they giggled and conspired together.

Nicole’s warm brown eyes met hers across the living room. The love shining in them filled every dark corner of her mind in an instant and bloomed in her heart.

“I’m more than okay,” she smiled. So as to not spoil the girls fun, Waverly quickly and quietly explained what had happened at the greenhouse. She left out the turmoil it had created in her mind as she was still trying to work through everything Julian’s apparent desire to be a part of their lives meant to her.

“He saved Nicole’s life,” she whispered, “but—”

“You still feel the pain of it,” Gus finished for her niece.

“Exactly! I always thought that my dad- that Ward was my dad and now everything I knew, everything I thought I was, has just been turned upside down. I— I’m just confused about it all. What does it mean? What am I’m meant to feel?” she sighed. “I just need time,” her voice trailed off to a whisper.

What she had needed was her Mama to say something, anything, to comfort her at the greenhouse but, seemingly lost in Julian, she had ignored her. And while Waverly could understand the power of love, it hadn’t stopped the pain of the little girl still inside that still craved her attention.

“Then, you take all the time you need, you hear me? I know he was taken away from your life and that he didn’t go any more willingly than my sister did but, he was out of your life. Family is more than blood, Waverly. It’s also the people we meet. The people we let into our lives. The ones we fall in love with along the way. My sister might have been the one to give birth to you, but I’ve always thought of you more as a daughter, Waverly.”

“Wynonna too?”

“That troublemaker?” Gus’ exaggerated eye roll turned into a wide smile at Waverly’s giggle. “You’ve got a kind heart and a good head on your shoulders, Waverly. I know you’ll do what’s best for you and your family. Just remember that there’s no time limit on that, so don’t let anyone pressure you into making a decision about that or anything else until you’re ready.”

“I won’t. Thank you, Gus.” Waverly melted into her arms and the soft scent of the tough, no-nonsense woman that had been her mother for most of her life. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Waves,” Gus grumbled out past the lump in her throat. “Now,” drawing back, she cleared her throat, “I’d best be making my way home.”

“You sure? We’re heading for a run with the kids soon—”

“A run with you all sounds better than heading home to make sure Curtis hasn’t brought any more tomato seeds but. Well, if I don’t keep an eye on that old bass- reprobate he’ll be going forward with his plans to take over the Ghost River Triangle. He’ll drag poor Trickett along with him and drown me and the Triangle in a sea of tomato soup along the way. At least, that was the dream I had last night after he mentioned planting another acre,” she shuddered. “Fool grows good tomatoes but I’m running out of recipes and ideas for what to do with them.”

Waverly smiled fondly as her aunt fussed and grumbled. Anyone not knowing them would think Gus hated her husband but there was always a fondness in her voice and a twinkle in her eye if you knew where to look and how to read her.

“There’s some soup in the kitchen ready to heat up if you want to save some time when you get done with your run. Tomato of course.”

“Of course,” Waverly answered Gus’ grin with one of her own.

“All I need is some hugs and kisses from my girls—” she laughed as they started to race and potter across the living room almost before the words had the chance to leave her mouth. They were a heart-warming sight to behold with their often untameable mops of fine red hair, perpetually sticky fingers and wide, gap-toothed smiles. Risking her knees, she knelt down, opened her arms wide, and braced herself for impact and giggly kisses.

**********

While Waverly stepped outside to see her aunt off, Nicole wrangled the girls and started to get them ready for their run. Which was a feat all in itself as they were almost literally crawling out of their skins at the prospect.

“Not now girls.”

“When then, mama?”

“Now, mama?”

“No,” Nicole chuckled as Kat and Dom bounced around her. “We’ll let you know when you can run. Until then you need to be big girls and do as we say. Understand?”

“But?”

“Katherine.”

“I understand, mama.”

“That’s my good girl.” Scooping her off the ground, Nicole tickled away her pout as her daughter clung to her, helpless with giggles. “If you change by accident, we’ll never be mad at you but we don’t want you to get all worn out too soon and have no puff left to howl.”

“Mama! Mama! We’re going runnin’!”

“Yes we are,” pushing away from the door where she had been leaning, watching her loving mate with their children, Waverly caught Mel in her arms midstride. “You all excited, baby?”

Grinning around the fist she had jammed against her mouth like she was trying to contain her excitement, Melanie bounced up and down in her arms. “Wanna run and run!”

“That’s a lot of running.”

“So much!”

As young as their daughters were, they were werewolves. They were born to run and had energy to spare. While they couldn’t keep up with the adults of the pack at a full run, they were already more than capable of running as fast as their legs could go for several miles.

And they were eager to prove it.

They knew better though and held back, showing more restraint than they wanted. More than Waverly thought they were capable of. But hold their position they did, even if their bodies were almost vibrating out of their padded jackets and pants as they all waited on Nicole to do her thing.

Nose lifted, nostrils flaring, she breathed in every ounce of scent on the air, drawing it over her teeth and gums to get everything she could out of the information locked within it.

Waverly watched her and watched the girls watching her too. Their own button noses lifted as they learned from her and copied her moves. Whether they got anything was debatable but it made Jasmin let out the most adorable sneeze that made her sisters giggle. Nicole looked at her, her eyes twinkling, her soft, perfectly kissable lips curving up in a smile.

“All clear?”

“Mhm. But—?” She raised an eyebrow at her daughters questioningly.

“No runnin’ till you say?”

“Good girl. Do you want to walk or—?” She didn’t even get the question out before Kat and Dom had their arms raised, their tiny fists making grabby gestures asking to be picked up.

“Well, okay,” she chuckled. “Bernie, guard the house and make sure CJ behaves!”

**********

The eager chatter of the girls filled the air, their voices rising in giggles and questions that bounced off the trees that towered around them as they trudged through the lighter skittering of snow beneath them on the preferred path they had run countless times before.

A felled tree lay before them, blocking the path to the clearing beyond with its moss-covered trunk that stood almost waist-high. Hopping onto it, Nicole reached back down to help the girls over. It was a gallant, supportive, gesture. One that was totally lost on them as once up, they promptly leapt over the other side with reckless abandon. Changing mid-leap they landed in the thicker drifts of snow, sending the white powder billowing into the air.

Laughing at their antics, Waverly grasped Nicole’s offered hand and let her pull her up beside her on the tree. Snuggling into her side, she slid her arm around her waist. “Thank you for suggesting this. I think we all needed some family fun.”

“Mmm,” humming softly, Nicole smiled into the kiss Waverly pressed to the corner of her mouth. Before she could say anything more, Waverly’s hand firmed against her back and gave her a firm shove that sent her rocketing off the felled tree.

Twisting in mid-tumble, Nicole managed to shift form just in time for the snow to billow up around her as she landed in the bank of snow.

Nicole blinked through the twinkling crystals of ice raining down over her snout. Her ears twitched in response to a gleeful whoop and a disturbance in her air just before the air was knocked out of her lungs by Waverly and then the girls all landing on her in one huge pile-on attack of lolling tongues, and yips and barks of delight.

** _“Are you teaching our daughters how to tackle their Auntie Nono?”_ **

**_“Nope. Just you.” _**Waverly grinned down wolfishly.

**********

The air was crisper as the sun dipped out of sight behind the trees. It bit and burned at the back of Waverly’s nose and throat with each breath and clung like dew to their fur as they raced and darted between the trees.

With skinny, dew-kissed tails arched over their backs and tongues lolling out of their mouths, their children raced between them. They were still young and uncoordinated but, young as they were, they were not the kind to give up no matter how often the big paws they were still growing into that threatened to trip and spill them into drifts of snow with almost every stride.

The land beneath their paws started to climb more sharply and Waverly slowed the girls down as Nicole bounded ahead to check the way. Even though they were sure of their surroundings, Waverly would never complain about her Alpha’s caution when their children were with them.

Dom whined as her mama moved out of her sight but soon quietened and licked apologetically at her jaw as Waverly leaned her body against her, soothing her daughter with the reminder of her presence.

** _“It’s all clear, bring them on up.”_ **

It was one of their most favourite places to stop along _their_ route across the stretch of land they, and the pack, thought of as _their_ territory but, familiarity didn’t make it any less an awe-inspiring sight to step out from beneath the thicker trees into the clearing that afforded them an unobstructed view across the whole of Purgatory and beyond. The sun was setting in a blaze of colours that stretched across the horizon but neither the view or the deep reds, pinks and purples in the sky were a match for the beauty that was her Alpha.

The light from the setting sun danced through the red of her coat, making it shine with a flaming brilliance from the tips of her ears to her tail. It was rivalled by the soft twinkle in her wide, brown eyes as she turned her head and caught her staring at her.

She was gorgeous and Waverly wanted nothing more than to press herself into Nicole’s warmth and climb all over her. Unfortunately, Dom was quicker off the mark while her feet were the ones to stumble over themselves. Like a bolt of red, she streaked towards her mama, her body wiggling, circling and squirming in excitement as she rubbed against Nicole begging for attention.

“Mama soft!”

Chuckling at the pout on Waverly’s face, Nicole gently helped Dom to scramble up her body until she was almost laying on her back with chubby fingers buried in the thicker fur around her neck and grabbing at her sensitive ears.

Waverly didn’t have to within hearing distance to know that Nicole was purring. Even if she couldn’t tell by Dom’s suddenly relaxed and sleepy expression, she could feel the soothing vibrations of it sinking into her body.

**_“Sneaky Alpha tricks,” _**Waverly grumbled softly, not meaning it one little bit. Well, maybe just a _little_ bit but those purrs worked just as well on her as they did Dom and she felt too relaxed to complain.

**_“You love them,” _**Nicole chuckled through their bond, delighting in the way it made Waverly whine with need.

** _“No, I love you.”_ **

** _“I love you too, Waverly.”_ **

Nicole looked up as Waverly’s eyes brightened, reflecting the moon that was starting to shine brighter now that the sun had lost its hold on the day. **_“Ready to lead the kids in a song?”_**

** _“Hmmm how about we do it together as a family?”_ **

What the girls lacked in experience they more than made up for with a youthful enthusiasm that had their butts hitting the ground and bodies toppling over adorably on more than one occasion as they threw back their heads, following their lead to fill the air with their song. The beauty of it echoed across the land and everything seemed to pause and hold its breath for a beat. Man and beast lifted their heads. Ears and eyes turning in their direction. And then, the moment of utter stillness was broken as more and more from all across the land joined in their joyous song.

**********

By the light of the rising moon, Waverly led her family’s journey home. Where Nicole had led them on a gentle path, she took the down ones that, while still perfectly safe even to Nicole standards, felt more challenging and exciting. She taught them how to slide down the steeper slopes and how to use the bendier pine saplings and bushes to their advantage until Nicole’s red coat was rendered white by the thick layer of snow matted to it by the snow dropped on her from above by nimble body checks.

Their steps were noticeably slower by the time their home came back into view and their breath hung as clouds of white as it puffed past tongues lolling from their mouths in breathless delight.

Leading by example, Waverly shook the snow from her body, making sure that a more than fair amount rained down onto Nicole before they made their way inside.

“That was fun,” Waverly beamed at Nicole.

Nicole quirked an eyebrow up at her. “The run or plastering me in snow?”

“Both. Both were good,” Waverly grinned. “Right girls?” Her answer came in broad, sleepy smiles and the press of warm bodies.

“Well, looks like they might all be too sleepy for a blanket fort party.” With a sudden burst of renewed energy, the girls rushed across the kitchen and bounced around her. Their voices were jumbled together but the gist of it was all too clear as they rushed out their pleas for the party to go on as planned and everything they wanted to eat.

“Can’t say you didn’t ask for that, Nicole,” Waverly giggled. Skipping past them, patting Nicole on the cheek on the way, she made her way into the living room. “I’ll go get the blankets and pillows while you start on the food. Not too many snacks though, hmm? The last thing we need is hyperactive pups running around all night.”

“True. How does spaghetti sound, girls?”

“’getti!!! ‘getti!!!”

“I’ll take that to be a resounding yes. Who wants to help? I guess that’s a no one,” Nicole muttered as the girls ran for the living room and the more entertaining task of picking out what to watch on TV and maybe helping Waverly with fort construction. “Just you and me then, Bernie. _Et tu_, Bern? Traitor! See if I slip you any spaghetti!” Nicole called out after him as his black and white coat became a blur as he rushed after the kids.

**********

Stretching out a hand as best as she could, Nicole grabbed the TV remote off the floor and turned the TV off. With the flickering light of the TV gone, the fairy lights strung around the room and beneath the canopy of the blanket fort twinkled light stars above the quietly snoring figures below. All her girls, the kids and Waverly, were sprawled contentedly upon her. Their weight pinning her to the pile of pillows she was sprawled upon.

Even Bernie was there somewhere amongst them, his head hooked over her left ankle if the hint of numbness in her foot was any indication. While Calamity, she was sprawled on the couch behind them like the queen she thought she was, looking down at them through sleepily slitted eyes, a loud purr sounding through the air as she kept her usual aloof distance from fingers made sticky by spaghetti sauce and snacks.

Waverly’s hand stroked a slowly blazing trail down her forearm, her nimble fingers playing and linking with hers to give a squeeze to draw her attention. Squeezing back, Nicole tilted her head to better see Waverly’s hazel eyes glinting up at her from where her head was resting against her shoulder.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Nicole.”

Waverly’s voice was a husky whisper that thickened on her name. The kiss that skimmed across her jaw and caught at the corner of Nicole’s mouth was silky soft while her breath was heated with anticipation and promise.

Waverly’s breath caught as Nicole angled her head but before she could feel more than the hint of deeper pressure of her kiss deepening, Nicole drew away. Her brow creased. Her eyes darkening to match her expression.

“Nicole, what—?” Waverly caught it then. Belatedly, but she caught it. The sound of an all too familiar engine and the crunch of tyres rolling onto their property at an unfamiliar, pedestrian, speed. With it, came a scent that was still elicited more memories of her childhood than anything else.

“I’ll go tell her to come back when you’re ready—”

“No,” Waverly gently stopped Nicole from moving and disturbing their babies. “It’s okay, Nicole. I’ll go see what she wants. You start getting the girls ready for bed. Okay?”

“Are you sure? Just because she’s your mom—”

Waverly stilled her protests with a quick kiss that turned into several more. Each one lingering a little more than the one before. “I’m sure,” she smiled. “Earlier I was just knocked for a loop. I’m okay now thanks to you and the kids. No go, put them to bed so we can have more _adult_ fun together.”

“Adult fun, huh?” Nicole waggled her brows suggestively.

Chuckling, Waverly climbed carefully out from under Kat’s legs that were stretched across her lap and crawled out of their, even if she said so herself, impressive blanket fort.

Grabbing Nicole’s uniform jacket off the rack by the door, she stuffed her feet into a pair of boots and slipped outside through the smallest gap she could manage so as not to let too much cold air in behind her.

“Hi, Mama.”

“Waverly—”

“Bit late for a visit. Everything okay?”

“I feel like I should be the one asking you that.”

“Oh?” Jamming her hands into the deep pockets of the jacket, Waverly hunkered down into the scent of Nicole that was ingrained into every fibre of it.

“I should have come by sooner but I got too caught up in the past and didn’t see how much you were hurting. Didn’t know until Gus came round and chewed me out. Are you? Okay, that is.”

“I’m—” pausing her instinctive response born out of a need to sooth troubled waters, Waverly sucked in a breath and lifted her head to look at her Mama, letting her see everything she was feeling. “I wasn’t. Everything I knew about my life, while it was pretty poopy, it was what I knew. I guess you kind of know how that feels though?” she sighed deeply, feeling ashamed for a response that was found wanting when weighed against everything that had happened to her mama.

“Yeah. But, listen to me, Waverly,” cupping Waverly’s face between her hands, Michelle urged her to lift her eyes. “What happened to me doesn’t make what happened to you any less important though,” Michelle quickly assured her daughter. “You mean the world to me, Waverly. I don’t know if there could be anything between Julian and I… we were young, well I was, god knows how old he was when we met. I honestly don’t know if I love him—”

“What?”

“I’d thought I was in love with Ward when I met him. Until he showed his true colours anyway. Now, I’m not sure if I really was as deeply in love with Julian as I’d thought or if he was just being nice and that turned my head after years of Ward behaviour.”

“Mama, he was willing to risk everything, break every rule, to be with you. That is more than just being nice.”

“Maybe. But if finding that out means you get hurt in any way, I want no part of it. You mean too much to me, babygirl.”

“You deserve happiness, Mama. Whether that is with Julian or someone else. You deserve it, and, I’m not going to stand in the way of that. I just need time to process how I feel after everything we found out about angels, and what their stupid laws have allowed to happen. What _he_ allowed. Papa hid his true nature from everyone else behind the veil of his job… Julian, all the angels… don’t they do the same? I just need a little time, Mama.”

“I can understand that,” Michelle sighed at the riot of emotions passing across her daughters face. Most of the angels they had met had a standoffish, dickish way of thinking that had caused a lot of hurt and deaths. It was hard to get past that. There were good ones amongst them though. Ones that were determined and trying to make a change.

“You should get to know him though, Mama. He made you happy—”

“He gave me you, babygirl. He gave me the most precious thing in my life,” Michelle smiled softly, the love for her youngest daughter making her heart swell with joy. “I better let you get back to your family before Nicole wears a hole in the floor with her pacing. Before I go though, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m sure.”

“Will it be okay if I pop around tomorrow to spend some time with you and the kids before you get too busy packing for your trip?”

“Always. But, Mama, that’s not for another three weeks. Plenty of time to see us every day if you want.”

“Honey… You forget, I’ve seen your purse and how long it takes you to find anything in it. That is not the purse of someone that doesn’t overthink their packing and take ten times too much.”

“Hey, I’m not that bad.”

“You really are, Waves. Michelle,” she nodded her head in greeting to the older woman.

Michelle felt her body instinctively stiffen, a bloom of fear racing through her at the thought that the Alpha would take her anger out on her. Cautiously lifting her eyes, determined to step up and protect Waverly if need be, she found a loving expression and soft eyes gazing at her daughter. “Nicole.”

“You stay out of this, Nicole or I’ll empty out the bags I know you’ve already packed and leave you with nothing to wear on holiday.”

“Waves, as much as I hate the thought of all the places sand can get into, if you want me naked on the beach, all you have to do is ask,” Nicole smirked as Waverly blushed furiously at her teasing. “The girls are getting ready for bed,” tilting her head, she checked for any sound that indicated that they were doing anything else. “I’m sure they would love to see you before they settle down and there’s some hot chocolate left if you want a drink.”

“Are you sure?” Michelle looked between them cautiously even as her feet pulled her towards the warmth of the house and the prospect of getting to spend time with them all no matter how short it was. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

In reply, Nicole pushed open the door in a sweeping gesture in invitation as Waverly urged her forward with a soft guiding hand on her back and a soft word in her ear.

“We’re sure.”

“Okay. I’ll never turn down an offer to spend more time with my girls,” she looked at them both, letting them know that she included them as her girls too no matter how grown up they were, “especially if you make that drink a little bit Irish.”

“One Irish hot chocolate coming up. Do you want any marshmallows with it?” It was at times like that when Michelle gave her a look of ‘seriously?’ for asking such a pointless question that there was no doubting that Wynonna was her daughter as much as Waverly, who shared her looks. She shrugged wryly, sharing a look with Waverly. “Yeah, silly question.”

“Very silly. Now, come on, make me a drink and you can tell me if Wynonna is grilling everyone on your holiday or if she actually thinks I’ll cave and tell her anything?”

“Oh, lord!” Waverly ran a weary hand down her face, muffling her moan. “Maybe we should just tell her, Nicole.”

“And spoil my fun? Don’t you dare!” Michelle grinned wildly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN - I wasn't planning on writing anything about their run but I realised that I hadn't had them all out like that before and the thought of them running in the snow and howling together stuck with me... what can I say, I love those adorable pups <3
> 
> In other news... RL is still hellish and that is seriously messing with my mind and ability to write when I want. I'm trying though. Writing is my escape from all the BS of life and I don't want to lose that but it's not easy when my mind can barely string 2 words together.

**Author's Note:**

> Another AN - There is no posting schedule for this (never is) lately I seem to be struck with the need to post all my ideas to stop them nagging at me or this wouldn't be put out yet. That saying, hopefully it will inspire my muses.


End file.
